The prior art reveals shaving devices of diverse structure and function, One line of technological development most basically comprises a razor head with a single razor blade mounted within a support case that is supported by a handle. In certain embodiments, the razor head and the handle are pivotally coupled with the purported advantage of improving shaving performance. Other shavers form the razor head and the handle as an integral unit. Such prior art devices shave hair from a skin surface by a shearing action of the razor blade as the razor head is brought into contact with a hair shaft through a raking motion produced by the user as the razor head is drawn across the skin surface that is to be shaved. Improved shaving devices include razor heads with two razor blades that are said to provide improved shearing action through a cooperation between the two razor blades as the blades are raked over a skin surface.
A multiplicity of inventors have set about providing improvements to these most basic shaving devices. Among the goals of these improvements has been to improve the overall comfort provided to the user while shaving. For example, shavers with self-contained shaving cream cartridges have been disclosed wherein the internally contained shaving cream supplies the skin surface and the hair that is to be shaved with a lubricant. Other inventors have revealed shaving devices wherein an oscillating vibration is imparted to the razor head with the stated purpose of desensitizing a user's facial nerves against the discomfort commonly associated with shaving.
Advantageously, still further devices are found in the art that include reciprocating razor heads. With such shaving devices, the razor blade or blades of the razor head shave hair from a user's face not only with the shearing action exercised by traditional razor heads but also with a slicing action resulting from the lateral reciprocation of the razor blade or blades. These devices normally contemplate a power source such as batteries or another source of electric power. One may note that it has been supposed that such shaving devices with reciprocating razor heads can achieve a close yet comfortable shave without necessarily requiring a need for a shaving cream or the like for preparing a skin surface that is to be shaved.
Unfortunately, these powered shaving devices with reciprocating razor heads suffer from a number of disadvantages that limit their usefulness. For example, powered shaving devices of necessity are larger and more awkward in use than non-powered or self-powered shaving devices. Furthermore, battery powered reciprocating razor head shavers tend to be heavier due to the weight of the contained battery. Still further, the batteries contained in such devices inevitably are exhausted such that they must be periodically changed or charged to maintain adequate power. Still another disadvantage is that such devices are considerably more expensive to purchase and operate than other non-powered or self-powered razors.
Certainly, a self-powered razor head presenting a solution to at least one of the problems left by the prior art would be useful. However, it is even more clear that a self-powered razor head that solves all of the problems from which the prior art has suffered while providing a number of heretofore unrealized advantages would represent a marked advance in the art.